Dispensing apparatus



Feb. 1, 1966 o. A. TURMAN 3,232,479

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1963 INVENTOR GD! 5 A. TURMAN.

ATTORNEYS.

- appended claims.

United States Patent 3,232,479 DKSPENSENG APPARATUE; Odis A. Turrnan, 2&511 Weiis Drive, Woodland Hills, Calif.

Filed May 28, 1963, Ser. No. 283,903 5 Claims. {CL 221267) The present invention relates to improvements in dispensing machines of the character disclosed in my United States Letters Patent 3,057,513, issued October 9, 1962.

It is desirable for a package dispensing machine to be in a condition to dispense various size packages, depending upon conditions, without the requirement that the quired, without changing the position of a so-called register rod, for example, by changing the vertical position of the register rod 13 shown in my above-mentioned US. patent.

In accordance with important features of the present invention, packaged goods of the character mentioned above can be dispensed one at a time without altering or modifying the machine, this being so since new and improved structure is provided for that purpose which when once installed allows packages of different vertical heights to be dispensed.

It is therefore the general object of the present invention to provide an improved means of techniques whereby the above-indicated desirable features may be achieved.

A specific obicct of the present invention is to provide -a dispensing machine from which packages of different heights may be dispensed, one at a time, without the physical structure of the machine being adjusted or modified.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing machine which incorporates a so- .called pivoted register element which is located below a rod on which it is pivoted and above a movable abutment upon which the bottommost package rests and from which the package is dispensed.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an improvement in the machine shown in my above-mentioned United States patent to allow it to dis- .pense packages of different vertical heights Without a requirement that the register rod 13 shown therein be first .moved to different adjusted positions.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularlity in the This invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view taken generally as indicated by the lines of 11 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a front View taken as indicated by the lines 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the lines 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken as indicated by the lines 44 in FIG. 2.

For the purpose of simplicity, the machine is described as having only one vertical column or tier 16 although it will be understood that the number of the same is not limited but indeed a plurality of such columns or tiers may be provided as disclosed in my above-mentioned United States patent.

The channel or tier 16 is constructed to receive loosely vertically stacked packages containing comestibles indicated by the reference numeral P.

The channel 16 is defined generally by two C shaped or modified U shaped sheet metal members 20 and 21. Each one of these members 2% and 21 is of identical construction, the member 20 being bolted or riveted to the side plate 11 and the other like member 21 being bolted or riveted to the other side plate 10. It is understood that these side plates 10 and 11 are stationarily mounted.

These identically constructed channel members and 21 are so constmcted as to confine a package P with a minimum amount of contact area between the packages and the channel members. For this purpose, as indicated in FIG. 3 the channel member 20 has its ends bent inwardly at 20A so that only the edges of the sheet metal channel 20 are engagable with opposite side of the pack age P; and also the channel member 20 is ribbed at 26C so as to again offer a minimum contact area for another side of the package P. Thus, it will be understood that the package P may engage only limited contact areas of the two identically constructed channel members 20 and 21 to assure limited contact areas where otherwise relatively large surfaces may be present between which ice may form.

It is noted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 that a lower-most portion of the channel web 201) is removed at 20E to allow a package to fall through such cut-out portion in operation of the machine; but at the same time to prevent the package from falling completely out of the bottom of the channel members 28 and 21, there is provided in accordance with important features of the present invention, a spring urged pivoted plate 100 having a roller 101 mounted on its lower free end to serve as a fulcrum about which a package is pivoted during a dispensing operation as described later.

The stack of pacagages in column 16 is supported on a rotatable abutment on which the bottommost of the package rests.

The abutment 26 may be constructed as an integral part of a tubular element 39 which has its ends confined between the stationary frame plates 19 and 11 and which has a shaft 15 secured thereto, the shaft 15 extending through the frame plates 10 and 11. For purposes of illustration, this shaft 15 has a knob 103 mounted thereon for turning the shaft 15 and the abutment 26, but it will be understood, of course, that other means such as motor operated means may be used to rotate the shaft 15 for the purposes described herein, and indeed the abutment 26 may be rotated for the purposes described herein using the means described in my above-mentioned United States patent. To assure the dropping of a package on the abutment 26, there may be provided, as illustrated, a sheet metal plate 165, serving more or less as a guide and closing off the space between the adjacent edges 20A and 21A of channel members 26 and 21, this plate 1&5 being located opposite the opening through the packages are dispensed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rotatable shaft carries a one-way pawl 37 to assure rotation of shaft 15 in only one direction, this pawl 37 cooperates with a spring urged lever 43 having a roller 41 mounted on one end thereof and engaging a cam surface on the pawl 37, the pawl 43 being pivoted on a stationary pin 6% and having its other end connected to one end of a coil tension spring 4 which has its other end afiixed to the stationary pin 61.

The previously mentioned plate 1% is pivoted at its upper end on a pin 197 extending between the frame plates 19 and 11 and slightly below the adjacent ends of the cut-out column members 20 and 21. The plate 1% is formed with a bracket 108 to which one end of a coil tension spring 116) is attached, the other end of the spring 110 being attached to an eyelet 112 on the frame plate 16) so that the spring 110 urges the roller ltll rotatably mounted on the lower free end of plate litiii into engagement with a package P.

It is noted that this roller W1 is provided with shaft portions extending from opposite ends thereof, these shaft portions 101 being freely rotatable in right angled bent portions ltlilA and 1003 of the plate 1%; and if desired, a small plate 120 having ears 120A and IZtlB may freely swing on the roller shaft portions 101A and 1013. This freely swinging plate 129 is not essential in accordance with the broader aspects of the present invention but may be used as a shield or guard to prevent a package which is being dispensed from the machine from falling in an unwanted direction such as, for example, against an abutrnent 26 in an adjacent column or tier, i.e. freely swing plate 120 may serve the same purpose as the element in my United States patent, namely as a means for preventing a falling package from. falling against an .adjacent abutment in an adjacent package channel or tier.

It will be seen from the foregoing construction that any package freely slideable in the channel or tier 16 and having a vertical height which in general is no greater :than the vertical height between abutment 25 and the :pivot pin 107 may be dispensed from the machine. This vertical height between abutment 26 and pin 167 estab- Llishes an upper limit but packages having a height smaller than this distance may also be dispensed, the package of :smaller height being established substantially by the vertical distance between the abutment 26 and the roller 101. In other words, packages having a vertical height ranging, in general, from one extreme measured by the distance ibetween abutment 26 and the roller 191 and on the other Ihand measured between abutment 2-6 and pin 107 may be dispensed from the machine without requiring adjustment .or modification of the machine.

It will be seen that'this new constructional feature pro- '-vides also advantages with respect to breaking of any existing ice film between the lowermost package and the package above it in that there is a tilting of the package .as described in my above-mentioned United States patent.

This particular feature involves the roller 101 and its relationship to the rotatable abutment 26' which is such that after a package has been dispensed from the abutment the remaining stack of packages falls on the abutment 26 with the result that the upper diagonal corner of the lowermost package aided by impact of the stack falling on abutment 26 pivots counterclockwise in FIG. 1 about the abutment with the package being in engagement with the pivoted plate 100, the spring 110 being sufiiciently strong to withstand the forces applied to it at that time.

It is noted that the spring loaded plate or flap ltlll causes a following package to be pushed backwardly to assure its proper positioning on the abutment or platform 26 to thereby assure the proper dispensing of either a relatively thick or relatively thin package without requiring manual adjus ment of the register rod. The roller 191 thus serves as an automatic self adjusting register rod and eliminates the necessity of providing a register rod which is required to be manually positioned for not only different length packages but also for packages of different thickness.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A package dispensing machine, said machine including a vertical channel adapted to receive packages therein, one stacked upon another, said channel having a side opening therein at its lower end, and a pivoted spring urged plate substantially closing said side opening and engaging the lowermost package in the stack when said lowermost package is in its stationary position, a movable support at the bottom of said channel for engaging a portion of the bottom of the lowermost package in said channel, said plat-e and said movable support both providing a means for supporting said lowermost package, and movement of said movable support resulting in freeing of said lowermost package from both said movable support and said spring-urged plate, said spring urged pivoted plate having a roller on its free end engaging said lowermost package in the stack.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said movable support comprises rotatable abutment means near the bottom of said channel for supporing the stack of packages, and means for rotating the abutment to move the lowermost package against the action of the spring urged pivoted plate.

3. A package dispensing machine including a vertical channel adapted to receive packages therein, one stacked upon another, said channel having a side opening therein at its lower end with the vertical length of said opening being greater than the height of a package, rotatable abutment means near the bottom of the channel for supporting a stack of packages in the channel, means effective to produce rotation of the abutment, spring urged means on said channel and extending into said side opening and engaging the lowermost package on said abutment means when said lowermost package is in its stationary position, said rotatable abutment means and said spring-urged means serving as a means for supporting said lowermost package, said abutment means being effective when rotated to engage the bottom portion of the lowermost package and to move the same in a general horizontal direction against the action of said spring urged means and through said side opening, said spring urged means comprising a plate having a roller thereon, said roller engaging said lowermost package.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 4 in which said plate has its upper end pivoted above said abutment means and said roller engaging the lowermost package at a point between said abutment means and the pivoting axis of the element.

5. A package dispensing machine, including a vertical channel adapted to receive packages therein, one stacked upon another, said channel having a side opening therein at its lower end with the vertical length of said opening being greater than the height of a package, rotatable abutment means near the bottom of the channel for supporting a stack of packages in the channel, means effective to produce rotation of the abutment, spring-urged means on said channel and extending into said side opening and engaging the lowermost package on said abutment means, said abutment means being effective when rotated to engage the bottom portion of the lowermost package and to move the same in a generally horizontal direction against the action of said spring-urged means and through said side opening, said 5 6 spring-urged means comprising a pivoted element hav- 1,602,765 10/ 1926 Green et al. 221-250 ing its upper end pivoted above said abutment means and 6,043,475 7/1962 Childers et a1. 221125 said element engaging the lowermost package at a point 3,057,513 10/1962 Turrnan 221-114 between said abutment means and the pivoting axis of the element, and a plate loosely mounted on the lower 5 FOREIGN PATENTS n Of Said m n 518,305 2/1940 Great Britain.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,o72,150 9/1913 Neher 221-307 10 LOUIS DE'MBoExamim?" 1,257,153 2/1919 Turney 221-267 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGE DISPENSING MACHINE, SAID MACHINE INCLUDING A VERTICAL CHANNEL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE PACKAGES THEREIN, ONE STACKED UPON ANOTHER, SAID CHANNEL HAVING A SIDE OPENING THEREIN AT ITS LOWER END, AND A PIVOTED SPRING URGED PLATE SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSING SAID SIDE OPENING AND ENGAGING THE LOWERMOST PACKAGE IN THE STACK WHEN SAID LOWERMOST PACKAGE IS IN ITS STATIONARY POSITION, A MOVABLE SUPPORT AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CHANNEL FOR ENGAGING A PORTION OF THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWERMOST PACKAGE IN SAID CHANNEL, SAID PLATE AND SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT BOTH PROVIDING A MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID LOWERMOST PACKAGE, AND MOVEMENT OF SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT RESULTING IN FREEING OF SAID LOWERMOST PACKAGE FROM BOTH SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT AND SAID SPRING-URGED PLATE, SAID SPRING URGED PIVOTED PLATE HAVING A ROLLER ON ITS FREE END ENGAGING SAID LOWERMOST PACKAGE IN THE STACK. 